From colored pencils to inflatable pool flamingos, colorful containers to invisible pens, there is no shortage of products you can find on Amazon. As an avid Prime user and hardcore fan of the two-day, hassle free shipping, I more often than not find myself scrolling through, looking for something that I want no need in my life. (Because let’s face it, that’s way easier than hauling your booty all the way to the store!)

Over the years I’ve done my fair share of ordering products online (from bathroom to housewares, outdoors to cooking utensils, etc.) but as both a writer and editor, I have plenty of experience with the best writing and office products section on the site.

And in an effort to not only organize myself, but to help browse through (in an organized fashion) some of the best writing tools all in one place, here is a list of my favorite creative writing prompt journals.

Whether you’re feeling stuck, uninspired, or just looking for a refresher, there is something for you.

1. The ‘Roam From Home’ Travel-Inspired Free Writing Journal

I love this journal because, as both a writer and travel-lover, I can combine both passions in one place. The interior is 150 pages of travel-related quotes, ideas, prompts and pictures meant to inspire. Whether or not you’ve actually been to the place, you’re inspired to write as if you have, and let the words flow.

I’m also a big fan of anything visual, so this journal works well to keep my interest, as well as gives me wanderlust for new places and adventures!

2. The ‘sparkle’ Daily Guided Art/Writing Journal

This ‘Sparkle journal‘ is one of my favorites because it combines both writing and art (which isn’t something I always do in my day-to-day life). There are blocked out sections for doodling, specific lines to answer, and also areas to just write unscripted. It comes with 202 pages, which translates to about three months if you write every single day. It also has a durable cover and sleek gold foil design for simplicity and elegance. An old (but good!) favorite.

3. This Creative Kickstarter Journal

What I love about This Creative Kickstarter Journal is the fact that it’s just so visual. As someone drawn to color, I love the bright pages, bold designs, and art that’s sprinkled throughout.

Something I’ve found real value in when it comes to writing, is the tool of experimenting with ekphrastic writing, which is, in essence, drawing inspiration from visual content such as pictures, photographs, paintings, etc. This journal really implements that and pushes your creative boundaries in a fun way. A great pick!

4. A Year of Creative Writing Prompts

This journal can be downloaded in Kindle form or purchased as a paperback. As a physical-book person myself, I’ve only used the paper version, but I think both could be perfect, depending on what you prefer.

What I appreciate the most about this journal is that it pushes you to write and reflect multiple times a day. Honestly, I often fall into the habit of writing when it’s convenient and then not going back to my drafts until the next time it’s convenient…thus missing out on really challenging myself or getting drafts completed in a more efficient amount of time.

This journal incorporates morning, mid-day and evening prompts (3 per day for a year!) which will really force you to engage, create, and feel more confident. I’d recommend this to anyone looking for that extra push, or wanting to sharpen their prompted-writing skills.

5. 365 Prompts for 365 Days

What I appreciate about this yearly prompt journal is that these prompts are timeless. There is something for every day, with space for journaling/jotting down ideas. Regardless of whether you write in the book or on a separate piece of paper/journal, you can always go back and re-write with these prompts as your guide. (AKA: This is a great investment if you’re looking for daily inspiration!)

The prompts in this journal are really focused on beating writer’s block, meaning they will challenge you to think differently and be slightly less traditional in form, which I have always appreciated. Another strong pick!

6. This Nature Guided Journal

Huge fan of this guided writing journal. I have always loved and felt drawn to nature; that’s what attracted me to this journal in the first place. Though slightly non-traditional in terms of composition (it has a calendar and shorter organization spaces as opposed to all blank lines for writing), I loved the ability to stay organized and jot down ideas all in one place.

If you’re looking to both be inspired by the natural world and keep yourself on track with deadlines, ideas, and goals, this is a perfect journal for you!

7. Creative Writing Exercises For Dummies

The ‘Dummies’ series of books is actually so fun. I remember leaving through my parents’ books on some topic, thinking, ‘Hey, this is pretty good advice.‘ Couldn’t tell you what the topic was (maybe cooking? travel?) but I loved the casual, yet super informative tone.

With this writing book, it’s no different. Less of a journal and more of a resource, this book for dummies breaks down writing and gives you so much information it’s almost overwhelming. If you’re looking for something to reference as you either begin, or dive deeper in writing, this is a book you need to add to your shelf.

8. This Self-Exploration Journal

A lot of good writing comes from digging within yourself. And whether that is to create effective/believable characters, to learn the inner-workings of a plot, to produce a reliable narrator, etc. it’s important to really know yourself in order to know your writing.

That’s why I love this journal. It’s all about self-exploration and translating that to the page. Focusing on different moods to write in certain directions, I love this as both an inspiration tool and resource.

9. The Beautiful Book OF Songwriting prompts

For those who are musically inclined, this is obviously a great fit. Beyond that, though, this journal is  honestly valuable for any writer. What I love the most about this journal is how it allows you to take a step back and let music/songs/vibes guide your thought process, words, and drafting.  Because music isn’t something I incorporate into my every day, I really appreciated thinking about my writing process in a different way!

There are different types of prompts the journal discusses: word lists, titles that tell a story, inspiring photographs, and settings & situations . These prompts are not only vastly different, but reusable and can help you over and over again, whether you’re writing a song, poem, or gathering story ideas. An awesome (and different!) pick.

10. The 52 Lists: Weekly Inspiration

I am such a list person. Seriously, I have a list for every project, multiple lists around the house,  short-term lists, long-term lists, (you get the point.) This journal was a good fit for me because it uses a form I’m comfortable with to help inspire me to write.

The lists are very simple in nature, allowing you to be as laid back or challenged as you’d prefer. There is also plenty of space to write, so that you can jot down ideas and then also convert those ideas to lines in a poem, sentences in a story, etc. For anyone who loves list-making as much as I do, or in general finds the quick-notes less daunting, this is a great choice!

11. 1,000 Character Writing Prompts

Let’s be honest here, one of the most difficult aspects of writing is creating characters, and building those characters, and personifying those characters, and making them believable. For me, I find myself shaping characters that are often either a) very similar to me, or b) the complete opposite of me. Which, by the way, isn’t really effective.

Getting this journal and working through the prompts was so helpful. I was able to see different approaches to building main figures in my stories and how to create them with distinct personalities (that weren’t weird carbon copies of me!). I was challenged by the villain sections because creating an evil figure is more than just has to be just as believable and multi-dimensional – which is hard!

The prompts incorporate different scenes and scenarios, are reusable, and really helped me dive deeper into my stories. I would definitely recommend.

12. Every Day Is Epic: Guided Journal

I’ll be honest, at first I wasn’t a fan of guided journals. When it came to writing, I just wanted space to pour my heart out! But I’m a very visual person, and definitely love having a book I can open and be inspired, simply by the colors, patterns, notes, and other fun add-ins.

That’s how the Every Day Is Epic guided journal is — fun and busyness on every page! From planner-like notes, to space for doodles, to reflection areas for post-dreams, this journal has it all, and is bound to inspire!

Featured Image Credit: Estee Janssens